NEW TO FLX & UPSTATE NY !!! Hit me up for wine collaborations, wine consultations, wine services, wine classes, wine tasting parties, and event planning under 'Wine Services' tab by filling out a form or email at mnagy@tailsfromthebarstool.com... You can also DM on IG @michael_troy_nagy or raise_ur_spirits...Cheers !!! You are welcome to join my public wine group here -

BIO -

Michael has been working in the bar, wine, cocktail, and restaurant industry since 2002 as a head mixologist, liquid bar chef, spirits sommelier, wine educator, bar manager, bar consultant, and cocktail expert. He holds an Advanced Certification in Mixology Bartending from the Professional Bartending Schools of America and is a former advanced mixology instructor at a prominent national bartending school.He also earned his WSET Level 3 Ceritfication & Diploma from the prestigious WSET London School in 2018-2020. He has worked with many bars, restaurants, individuals, and companies on developing cocktail and wine menus, marketing, event planning, event services, promotions, improving visibility, and customer service training. .

Michael is Owner, Operator, & COO of “Raise Your Spirits”, an elevated tasting experience and wine service, top-shelf cocktail and beverage service, and bar/wine consultation service.well as for event venues, individuals, and businesses. He has consulted with major companies on wine pairings with desserts, scotch, chocolates, and food and wine lists for VIP events. He holds a B.S. Degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and has Master's credits in Education and Community Psychology. Michael has written for Chilled Magazine, "The Culture Trip", a travel, lifestyle, drinks, and culture site based in L.A., and Epicurious as a community writer.

He has recently moved the Finger Lakes Region of NY in Upstate NY working for various wineries as a wine educator, hospitality leader, and tasting room manager. You can follow his adventures and exploits and on his blog "Swirl, Sip & Savor" on here. You can find him on Instagram @swirl_sip_savor. Look for future You Tube videos on everything wine...Cheers!!!

Stay tuned for weekly blog posts located under 'blog' tab. We are located in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country. We are available for collaborations, events, consultation services, etc...

Awesome Wine Class & Tasting Party at the HUB in Harrisburg, PA with 25 thirsty guests. Scroll for the wonderful pics -

Now Booking Mixology Classes & Wine Classes in your home, place of business, or other locations. Please fill out our event/party planning form on the website under "Bar/Event Services" tab or send us an email to mnagy@tailsfromthebarstool.com or call us at 717.877.2729 for details. Many dates available. Maximum number of guests is 10. The host and/or hostess is FREE. Very affordable rates, flexibility , and tailored to YOU.

To book us, fill out the form under "Event/Party Planning" located at the top of the page. When you book us, you will receive an elevated and elite bartending experience, high level event planning, and award-winning and top-shelf hospitality, cocktail services, and wine services. Michael Nagy, Owner & Operator, not only helps you plan the event or party, but also performs all bartending duties on the day of so you have consistent, top flight services from beginning to end with over 17 years of experience in the bar and hospitality industry. You don't have to worry about getting a part-time bartender who bartends on the side, doesn't have experience, or is not licensed and insured.

​Here are some pics from our most recent events, including a networking/cocktail reception for The Hershey Company at Historic Acres of Hershey, Mixology Parties, and Dauphin Co Democratic Committee Murder Mystery Dinner -

ATTN: Brides, Grooms, Bridal Parties, & Guests! When you attend the FREE Bridal Show at SUPPLY in Manheim on Sat, stop by the Raise Your Spirits, Inc. Bar for some very special brunch mocktails made especially for you!!! Are you ready to "Make Your Own Mocktail?" (a very unique drinking experience) or choose from the mocktail menu? When was the last time you could go to a FREE bar and create your drink? Visit the event page on the FB RYS page!

Did you know that the #bar service is one of the most features of a successful wedding reception??? Bad bar service or bad drinks can ruin a guest experience. 60% of guests will either spend time at the bar or order a drink from the bar so it is very important to choose your bartending service wisely and be mindful that what you pay for, is what you get. We are fully insured and certified and a very comprehensive service with lots of amenities and services. Everything tailored to your unique needs!

Most recent 5-star reviews for RYS -

“Cannot say enough how glad I am we selected Raise Your Spirits for our granddaughter's recent wedding. Michael was particularly helpful in planning and advising us on how much beer, wine and soda to purchase. He made recommendations on brands and a mix of each which was really great and met the requirements of our guests. To kick it up a notch, Michael and his assistant were incredibly friendly and accommodating to our guests.
Cheers Michael! You Rock!” ~ Judy, Sept 2017

“We had Michael at our wedding at a new venue in New Oxford. He was very easy to work with and my mom and I met with him before the wedding to plan our menu! I heard nothing but compliments all night on how well the drinks were mixed and I don't think there was a person (out of 172 people) in the place without a drink in hand!!! He was willing to work with our schedule and took the stress out of shopping for the alcohol and mixers by providing us a shopping list! I would defiantly recommend his bartending services to anyone looking for a bartender!!!” ~ Ashley, Aug 2017

Launch of new beverage program, "Mocktails By Michael" over the past few weeks at the annual Wedding Yard Sale and Oktoberfest. Pictured are the infused, handcrafted, fresh mocktails served for these events as well as bar setup and venue -

Pics from our most recent wedding events, company events, cocktails, and bars.

Raise Your Spirits, Inc. is proud to announce our new beverage program called "Mocktails By Michael", a division of RYS, serving non-alcoholic cocktails. We will be partnering with Grand Cru Hospitality to provide a unique drinking experience by way of food truck. See us at our first event on October 1st (check facebook for details)...Here is our Business Hall of Fame for excellence from 2015-2017 in bartending, hospitality, event planning, event services, and consulting.

Hand-Crafted Cocktails Available at RYS -

Three Amigoa

Pics from the last few weddings at #BrickGables, including cocktails, bar setup, and decor. We still have some dates and weekends available this summer

Enjoy the pics from our huge Penn St. Gala for the annual Coaches Caravan at PSU-Hbg. RYS ran all bar, beverage, and hospitality services for a major university's big event.

"The Crew" that made it happen!

Me with the Food Services Manager, Cara! She was wonderful to work with.

Menu

Huge Brunch Wedding on April 1, 2017 at Brick Gables (first of the year) serving over 200 Mimosas, Screwdrivers, and Breakfast Stout to 225 plus guests.

HUGE NEWS!!! Raise Your Spirits has been chosen to be the preferred bartending service, event planner, and bar consultation service for Penn State University's Annual "Coaches Caravan" event for Coach James Franklin on May 9, 2017 with approx 450-500 people. We are honored to be a part of such a wonderful event. This will be our biggest event to date with 5 bars, 7 bartenders, 3 bar backs, and many volunteers who help us make this event go off with a bang.

Beautiful pics from a classy corporate networking and social mixer event on March 16, 2017 at Deloitte Consulting downtown Harrisburg.

Raise Your Spirits, Inc. did our biggest event to date at the NEW 901 Lounge in Harrisburg at the Historic Lochiel Hotel on Saturday night. Raise Your Spirits did all the marketing, promotion, cocktail menus, inventory, music, and consultation fo the event.

Here are the pics from an awesome night of classic New Orleans Style Cocktails, Live Music, and Great Friends (scroll down because there are many). RYS had "Hard Soul" featuring our friends, Frankie T & Sabrina, perform classic soul music while patrons imbibed on great cocktails. RYS is available for any kind of party or event at any venue, home, or place of business and can create a killer cocktail menu and contract this great band. Our calendar is filling up so get in on the action before it's too late.

Beautiful Bar Setup at Harvest View Barn - RYS provided the bar, menus, and all equipment for 200 plus wedding. You can have this setup when you book with RYS, the best bartending services, event planning, event services, and consultation in Central and South Central PA - just check our reviews and testimonials on here and facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RaiseYourSpiritsInc/

Join RYS at the Open Stage of Harrisburg from Dec 17-23 for pre-show cocktail hour serving up the "Crumpet-ini". For family, friends, and clients, contact me directly to receive the code for $5 off each ticket. Great opportunity to catch a great show and cocktail. Order tickets online at http://www.openstagehbg.com or at the door. Seats filling up so get in on the action soon.

Here are some pics from this weekend's events, including wedding at the Historic Acres in Hershey, wedding in Gordonville, and Dauphin Co. Democratic Party Annual Dinner -

Here is one of my best ever reviews from a bride and groom this summer...I apologize for the length, but it covers everything we do at RYS -

"My wife and I hired Michael and Raise Your Spirits to be the bartenders at our Wedding Reception in July of 2015. Michael was absolutely fantastic to work with. After coordinating the basic details via email, he met with us in person for several hours to finalize what alcohol we wanted to have served. He had an excellent list of recommendations for signature cocktails for us to choose from (he would have been willing to make a custom drink as well, but we liked the ones on his list better). Mike then provided us with a comprehensive shopping list for the alcohol and mixers. When I went shopping, I found some brands of wine other than the ones that he had recommended happened to be on sale. Mike was very responsive to my phone calls to provide feedback on which of the on sale wines were or were not ok to get without sacrificing quality.

A few weeks before our wedding Raise Your Spirits worked at another wedding at our same venue. He ran into some venue-specific issues at that wedding and the next week contacted us to talk thru them so that we were able to avoid those same issues at our wedding.

On the day of the wedding itself Mike arrived in plenty of time (before we or any of our guests got there) and had everything set up and ready to go. He was courteous, professional and extremely competent the entire evening. He even brought an extra staff member beyond what we had discussed just to make sure that we would have no issues! At the end of the wedding the bar area was completely cleaned up with no work left for our bridal party to do (other than pick up the left-over beer and wine, which he had nicely stacked for us).

Working with Mike & Raise Your Spirits was easy and a true pleasure in the midst of the hectic-ness of planning a wedding. I would recommend him to anyone who needs bar tending services without hesitation. " ~ Nate and Kelly (July 2015)

Raise Your Spirits achieved 49 out of 49 five-star reviews over the weekend - see what people are saying at the Thumbtack link to the right...We had an awesome private birthday party in Maryland over the weekend...We continue to be very busy even as we transition to fall and winter...Dates in Nov and Dec are starting to fill up so get in on the action before it's too late...Don't need a bartender for your holiday party or event, that's okay, RYS can put together a killer cocktail or mocktail menu or mix something up for you and deliver to your address in nice two-gallon mason jar dispensers as seen here -

Pics from weekend birthday party and cool wedding at The Carlisle Theater -

Pics from a busy weekend at the Venue at Chilton and Harvest View at Hershey Farms -

Awesome night in Lancaster on Fri night for a birthday party...Thank you Kerwin Sierra for being such a great host...The authentic Dominican cuisine was fabulous and the guests were very friendly...Will see them again! Here are sum pics -

RYS is getting ready to embark on an event marathon starting tonight with 3 events in 3 nights, which will take us from Lancaster to Elizabethtown to Mechanicsburg...We will be serving Classic Mojitos, Pomegranate Cosmos, Blueberry Mojitos, Moscow Mules, Dirty Martinis, Presbyterians, wine, beer, and much more...

RYS is offering a special right now for businesses and corporations planning an event or function - If you book with us in the next month, you will receive 10% off bartending service and free optional shopping services and have access to our unlimited cocktail menus (expires Sept. 30th). As always, you will see receive FREE consultations throughout the planning phase, free bar setup, exceptionl customer service from award-winning event planning/event services in Central PA, and much more...Also, if you refer someone and they book with us, you will receive a referral bonus or credit toward your next party or event - Inquire within!

Beautiful pics of Two Harts Barn in Spring Grove for wedding Sat night, including Shelly's first event with RYS -

Raise Your Spirits has been given the 2015 "Best of Harrisburg Award" for Event Planning/Event Services

Awesome Mixology Class/Party held on Aug 6, 2015 at The Workplace HUB in Harrisburg with lots of learning, drinking, cool cocktails infusions, socializing, and much more...Here are some pics of the evening activities and pics of blackberry-thyme infused syrup, vanilla bean infused honey syrup, and edible hibiscus flower.

Beautiful pics from our Pond View Farm weddings in Maryland. We have successfully reached 30 five-star reviews in less than a year on Thumbtack = AWESOME!!!

Here are some pics of our very successful wedding event at "The Booking House" -

RaiseYour Spirits has been given the 2015 "Best of Harrisburg Award" for Event Planning/Event Services

Raise Your Spirits is doing a community Mixology Class & Party on August 6, 2015 from 6-9pm at The Workplace Hub in Harrisburg. If you are interested in attending (space is limited), please email mnagy@tailsfromthebarstool.com or call 717.877.2729...Event listing on the RYS facebook page here -

Here are some great pics of a great wedding in Lititz at Brick Gables -

New Blog Posts Up - Happy National Martini Dayfeaturing Martini Primer and classic cocktails, Delicious Organic Summer Cocktails featuring Square One Organic Vodka and Del Maguey Organic Mezcal and "World Gin Day" with rare and wonderful world gins and cocktails - See it at "Distillery Daily" as well. They enjoyed it so much that they asked to use it for their "World Gin Day" post...Enjoy!!!

Pics from Saturday's Mixology Party -

Michael's Special Bahama Mamas

Michael playing Bartender

Crowd enjoying special cocktails on the day

Pic of the bar setup at Spring Mount Farms in Warriors Mark, PA for wedding on June 6th. It was a great wedding and beautiful venue!

Here are some rare and obscure bottles of liquor and cordials I received in the mail over the past week from Heavenly Spirits and Spirit of Feni -

I was asked by the Culture Trip LA to use my knowledge and expertise in the bar industry to write cocktail-related stories for their media publication based in LA...They are a film, art, dining, travel, food, and lifestyle site here http://www.theculturetrip.com My first piece will be published with them at the end of the month (it's a surprise)...I sent invites out to like their facebook page or visit them https://www.facebook.com/pages/Culture-Trip-Los-Angeles/ They have over 200K fb followers and 37K twitter followers.

Also, RYS has formed a close partnership with Strictly Catering, LLC out of Harrisburg for their bartending needs...Check out their fb page under the same name and website at http://www.strictlycatering.net We will be working with them occasionally...They are truly a family owned biz with husband, Chris and wife, Janice and their kids... Let me know if you need a catering company and I will contact them for you.

Here are some pics of this weekend's events and review from client on Saturday-

Here is a review from my Saturday wedding - "Michael was SO wonderful! Everybody at our wedding commented on how awesome our bartender was. Michael coordinated everything with me from day one, was super personable, and went out of his way to make the experience of our wedding, and everything leading up to it, memorable and comfortable. I'm SO grateful!" ~ Lindsay S. (May 16, 2015)

Soo impressed with our wedding bartender! We are looking so forward to working with you Michael Troy Nagy! Danielle & Justin (wedding date April 29, 2016).

Here is the latest review from a client ""I hired Michael for a Corporate event with ~150 people and he was very helpful in organizing all of the fine details of the event. With two separate bars at the event, he was very efficient in keeping both fully stocked and making drink recommendations along the way. Will definitely be hiring Raise Your Spirits in the future!" - Chad (May 8, 2015)

New Blog post up - "World Cocktail Week" - Around the Globe: French Edition, India Edition, and Spanish/Mediterranean Edition featuring both classic and modern twists on French Cocktails, India-Inspired Cocktails & Culture, and Spanish/Mediterranean Cocktails (see below Cinco de Mayo) -

Gin and Tonic Variations

Cucumber Rose

Luminiere

Velvet Rose

Watermelon Mojito

Tamarind Martini

"Tequila Myths and Organic Tequila Cocktails" - see inside

Jalapeno Blackberry Margarita

White Peach Mint Julep

RYS had a fantastic Gala event at Bishop McDevitt H.S. in Harrisburg last evening at my alma mater...It was a blast!!! RYS planned, managed, and ran all three bars and served till midnight...Great pics of the evening activities and beautifully decorated venue below. Also, awesome pics of the enchanted cocktail "Ginger Flower" by candlelight created exclusively by RYS for the special night and get the newly-released cocktail recipe on my cocktail menus page. We served over 7 gallons and over 200 cocktails on the night...It was great to give back.

New Blog Post for "Earth Day, Spring-y Cocktails, and Spring Ingredients". GREAT READ!!! Also, the Cocktail of the Week - "Rhuby Collins" is up using organic ingredients made in PA.

Raise your Spirits is testing a new program called "Cocktails-On-The-Go"...Basically, you pick the cocktail(s), sangria(s), batched cocktails, mocktail(s), infusions,etc..., we will shop for the ingredients, i.e. liquor, mixers, fruit, and then deliver to your doorstep in a box with cocktail menu and instructions on how to prepare...It is a personalized service with no shipping and handling cost - just pay a small travel and convenience fee with reimbursement of purchased items...You can also have us infuse liquors and liqueurs and make homemade syrups and mixers (see website for possible infusions and syrups)...There are many national companies doing it, but charge a hefty monthly or yearly fee, charge a shipping fee, and it is shipped in a box..It is becoming a huge trend even for people who just want something nice to drink at home...Shipping outside the area in the near future. Gift packages also available for that special someone...Inquire within and check the "Cocktail Menus" tab for a list of sample cocktails and infusions!

Here are some pics and review from last night's wedding at the Montessori Academy in Chambersburg -

" I wish there were more stars to give! Michael was absolutely wonderful from beginning to end. He is extremely skilled! Michael made sure every base was covered. He helped to personalize our event by planing a cocktail menu. Thank you for being a fantastic bartender and I'd recommend your services with confidence!" - *****+ Sarah O. (April 12, 2015)

Stay tuned for a possible TV appearance on the ‪#‎GoodDayPA‬ program appearing weekdays at 12:30 on ‪#‎ABC27News‬ in the near future. I will be either in the kitchen mixing something up for the viewing and studio audience or a studio session with ‪#‎AmyKhem‬. We will be focusing on "Healthy Spirits", farm to table concoctions, infusions, organic ingredients and options for the drinker and non-drinkers, and much more...Also, the ABC-27 news team would like to do a Mixology Class on the lawn at the station - pretty cool!

Starting the first week in April, look for my "cocktail of the week" on the blog as well as on the "COCKTAIL MENUS" page.

Had a great Corporate event for a new workspace company called "The Workplace Hub" in Harrisburg on Thursday. Here are pics of the delicious specialty and healthy mocktails batched and served that night -

I had an awesome country western cocktail party and bourbon tasting Sat. night...The Old West cocktails were a hit and the bourbon panel was top shelf...The cowboys and cowgirls were well dressed for the Old West and ready for the showdown ...Thank you Alan and Deb for being such great deputies...I had a great time at the corral interacting with the townspeople and sampling some great bourbons...Let's do it again sometime! Here are some snapshots of the town gathering...If anyone would like the cocktail recipes, just let me know.

I am happy to announce that 'Raise Your Spirits' has been chosen as the preferred provider for Bartending & Beverage Services in Central PA by Thumbtack, the #1 Hiring Service Professional site in the country. Here is our profile - http://www.thumbtack.com/…/par…/bartending-cocktail-services Check it out and share with others.

Here are some recent reviews. To see all my 5-star reviews (23 of them), find us on Thumbtack, the #1 Hiring Website for Service Professionals.

"My fiance and I are working with Michael for our August wedding, and he has been nothing but professional and great to work with! It is evident that he is extremely knowledgeable in his field. He gave us a very long list of his cocktails so that we can try them out and come up with some specialty drinks that we want at our wedding. I know our guests will be just as pleased as we have been so far, and I look forward to continue working with Michael!"...Ariel R.

"I think you are an amazing person! You have expertise to accommodate everyone who attends your events!! You are outstanding in what you do."...Donna N.

"I have worked with and been great friends with Michael in the past for a number of years,and had been to a restaurant where he prepared/served the most beautiful and exquisite cocktails that I have ever seen and tasted. Michael truly is an extremely talented man in this field of expertise. If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing some of his cocktails and acquainted yourself with him,you are really missing out. Michael is professional,personable and a great host for any venue or event,and always goes above and beyond what is asked or expected of him!" ...Karen S.

RYS had a great night at the Goggleworks Art Museum in Reading on Saturday...We worked the 4th floor for the cocktail hour then transitioned to the 2nd floor for the wedding reception...Got a few potential parties from the event as well...Pictured are some of the venue and bar -

Join Raise Your Spirits in "The Enchanted Garden" and experience the mysterious and enchanted cocktail being served at the annual Bishop McDevitt High School Gala...Here is the cover photo -

RYS booked their first Mixology Class of 2015 scheduled for June 13th in Selinsgrove. Great deal on classes for only $20/person - check 'Mixology' page for more details. Some Valentine's Day cocktails being served right now -

RYS is on a roll - Give us a shout out if you want to get in on the action before your special date is reserved. Scroll down to see all of RYS events scheduled for 2015 and 2016. Check out the blog for great information on spirits, cocktails, and everything bar.

GREAT NEWS!!! RYS has been approved by Amazon for affiliate marketing, which means that you can purchase gift cards and products from Amazon through my site and I get credit...Please consider going through my site for your Amazon purchasing needs...Scroll to the bottom of my home page for the Amazon gift card banner or click the link below or on the right for great bar products and one of the best 13 pc. bartending sets on the market. It's a great site for shaker sets, barware, glassware, and bartending tools for the holidays and all year round...Why not purchase a gift card and then apply it to a listed product...Thank you so much for supporting me and the site.

Raise Your Spirits continues to be the best choice for all your bartending and cocktail needs from near and far, big or small, low budget/high budget, a wedding reception, a corporate/business event, a cocktail party, or a holiday party. Now booking through 2016. See the event pics, specialty cocktails, and cocktail menus below along with sample reviews from clients and a link to all reviews on Thumbtack. RYS has recently been selected as a "Pro Mentor" for other service professionals around the country on Thumbtack for it's outstanding content, profile, all five-star reviews, and booking rate/high number of hires.

"Michael and his team were truly amazing, and my guests loved having them at our event! We will most certainly be booking Michael for future events!" - Brittney, Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson (October 25, 2014)

"Michael did a fantastic job with our wedding! We are not able to thank him enough for the work he did. He planned a beautiful custom menu for us, which included drinks to match our fall theme. The drinks were FANTASTIC! Our guests continue to rave about how amazing the drinks were and how quick their service was (we had a guest list of 100 people and Michael was able to keep the bar going and seldom had a line). Throughout the entire wedding planning, Michael was there to help organize, plan, and give suggestions on a complete bar menu. He was creative and great to work with. He understood our budget needs and was able to stay well within our budget while giving us a great experience. We would highly recommend Michael for any of your bar-tending needs. Thank you again Michael for all that you have done for us."

"Michael mixed & served drinks for the guests at a surprise party we hosted at our home for a dear friend who just turned 40. Let me begin by saying that his cocktails were a hit! Every adult tried out each of his creations, at LEAST once! Some MORE than once!! The cocktails were very creative, interesting and most importantly, delicious. Michael also kept the beer, wine, scotch, vodka & gin drinkers well supplied! He was well equipped & very well organized. He was very professional yet warmly interacted with all the guests. We look forward to having him back for our next party!" - Preeti - Enola, PA (October 3, 2014)

NEWS -

Just received an awesome gift package from Woody Creek Distillers in Basalt, Colorado as a token of appreciation for my insightful coverage of them in Chilled Magazine...Pictured is the real potato they harvest and use in making their vodka, a small vodka bottle, and a flash drive containing a slideshow of their work...Also, a letter of appreciation...Pretty cool!!! New video of operation below -

Here are some pics of the halloween cocktails served on Sat. night at a private home halloween party -

I am excited to announce that RYS has booked more events this week, including a huge corporate event/open house for 250 people on Nov. 19th for a new business starting up in Harrisburg and another corporate event at the Antique Auto Museum in Hershey for the members of Susquehanna Valley Harley Davidson...RYS will be serving a winter mocktail menu and cocktail menu on the 19th...Also, two weddings in Maryland for July of 2015...Here are some pics of the mocktails for the corp event -

I am happy to announce that I just booked a wedding reception for next August 8, 2015 at the Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville, PA...With over 300 animals waiting to welcome you and your guests, the Zoo is located in the heart of the picturesque 100 acre Trexler Nature Preserve...I am very excited because I have never done an event at a zoo before...Pretty cool! August 2015 is now officially booked. Only one weekend left in July 2015.

Now scheduling top shelf Winter cocktail parties and holiday parties during the doldrums of winter...Let 'Raise Your Spirits' lift your spirits and provide you with a unique and fun party experience and exceptional customer service...Free cocktail menus tailored to you and your guests' taste preferences of the season.

Fall and Winter Cocktail Menus up - book with "Raise Your Spirits" and you will get direct access to the cocktails and recipes. I will feature one of these seasonal cocktails in ongoing blog posts. In the meantime, check out the infusions on the cocktail menu page, blog posts, wonderful pictures of past events and cocktails below.

x8

RYS had a wonderful fall wedding at the Coleman Chapel in Lebanon last night. Thank you to Steve, the venue host, and Rebecca and Joe, bride and groom, for making the evening lovely. Also, a wedding in Harrisburg at a private residence. Here are some pics throughout the evening at both venues

RYS had a wonderful and fabulous cocktail party last night...The guest of honor was surprised for her 40th birthday and everyone enjoyed the delicious cocktails...I want to sincerely thank Preeti Ghosh and Paul Pahwa for being such a great hostess and host and truly made me feel at home...I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the guests...The Indian and Thai cuisine was awesome! Looking forward to doing it again and seeing you on Nov. 1st. Here some pics of the evening -

Wedding in Tamaqua on Saturday was a lot of fun...Here are some pics of the beautiful and scenic Stonehedge Gardens where the reception was held...We served from the Summer House in the background -

Raise Your Spirits had a very successful and profitable evening in Lancaster on Sat night...The specialty cocktails were a big hit and everyone had a great time...Here are pics from the evening,including cocktail menu, bar area, and beautiful interior of the "The Trust" Performing Arts Center...Thank you to the event staff - Stephanie, Andrew, and Stuart for helping out throughout the night.

Here are some pics of past events, including a Jewish wedding on a farm in Landisburg and a pool block party in Wernersville. It was a very successful weekend for Raise Your Spirits -

Had a great barbeque event on Sat Aug 9th in Flourtown, PA...It was a huge success...Here are some pics, including cocktail menu, bar area, pool area.

Here are some recent pics of a 60th birthday party on August 1, 2014...Pictured is a "Traffic Light" non-alcoholic drink for the kids and "Tickle Me Pink" cocktail for adults.

Here are some pics of yesterday's fantastic and beautiful wedding at Spring Mount Farms in Warriors Mark, PA with the specialty cocktail. Thank you to Melissa and Brooke at Spring Mount Farms for hosting me and accommodating me throughout the day and night. Within a week, I was able to book another wedding with them.

RYS will create and design a cocktail menu based on your and your guests' taste preferences...You can have one specialty, signature, hand-crafted cocktail or more - they will also make homemade syrups and mixers if you desire made with only the freshest of ingredients...The rates are very affordable and everything is done to your specifications with great attention to detail...Inquire within under the Bar/Event Services tab!

Scheduling top shelf mixology classes in your home or place of business for only $20/person...Details under the Bar/Event Services Tab. One flat-rate per person and a lot of fun...Learn about cocktailing and mixing up your favorite cocktails and 'Become An Expert'!You will receive materials and handouts, including Michael's exclusive homemade, hand-crafted cocktail recipes not available to the public. Also receive a complimentary and personalized "Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in the Art of Mixology"

This feature is going out to my good friend, Jodi, who is a great lady and loyal follower of the site. Being a big fan of Merlot wine, she asked me to write something up on it. Here is my attempt to satisfy her taste buds:

This week I'm going to take a little break from elaborating on drinking personalities and cocktail making and focus on making homemade infusions that anyone can enjoy and make at home with the right equipment, tools, and supplies. This will be the first in a series on infusions and the different types you can make. I will start with the most common and simplest of infusions - fruit infusions next time, but will first discuss what they really are and some common pitfalls and mistakes associated with preparing them.

Almost every bar has their assortment of handcrafted, unique cocktails, but many differ on the quality of those cocktails. People who try these cocktails are often experimenting with new drinks and want to explore their options. People who like trying things, and being exposed to new experiences are often more intelligent and creative than those who do not prefer novelty.

The Asian Pear cocktail has many variations, but the one I will introduce to you today is one of the most popular cocktails at Buddha Buddha Martini Bar & Cocktail Lounge in Harrisburg and quickly became one of their signature drinks. I created it to pair with sushi, which was on the menu at the time. The cocktail is a perfect match for seafood, especially sushi and raw fish because of its citrusy, lemony, and gingery taste on the palate and the complement it gives to the ingredients in Asian cuisine generally.

About Michael Nagy & Raise Your Spirits

Michael has been working in the bar, wine, cocktail, and restaurant industry since 2002 as a head mixologist, liquid bar chef, spirits sommelier, wine educator, bar manager, bar consultant, and cocktail expert. He holds an Advanced Certification in Mixology Bartending from the Professional Bartending Schools of America and is a former advanced mixology instructor at a prominent national bartending school.He also earned his WSET Level 3 Ceritfication & Diploma from the prestigious WSET London School in 2018-2020. He has worked with many bars, restaurants, individuals, and companies on developing cocktail and wine menus, marketing, event planning, event services, promotions, improving visibility, and customer service training. .

Michael is Owner, Operator, & COO of “Raise Your Spirits”, an elevated tasting experience and wine service, top-shelf cocktail and beverage service, and bar/wine consultation service.well as for event venues, individuals, and businesses. He has consulted with major companies on wine pairings with desserts, scotch, chocolates, and food and wine lists for VIP events. He holds a B.S. Degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and has Master's credits in Education and Community Psychology. Michael has written for Chilled Magazine, "The Culture Trip", a travel, lifestyle, drinks, and culture site based in L.A., and Epicurious as a community writer.

He has recently moved the Finger Lakes Region of NY in Upstate NY working for various wineries as a wine educator, hospitality leader, and tasting room manager. You can follow his adventures and exploits and on his blog "Swirl, Sip & Savor" on here. You can find him on Instagram @swirl_sip_savor. Look for future You Tube videos on everything wine...Cheers!!!

"We hired RYS for our wedding at our local zoo, and we are so happy that we did! Michael and his wife worked our wedding of 130 people and kept that line moving! They handled our alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and were very professional and courteous. When we were frantically trying to set up our dessert bar ourselves, they offered to help - totally not in their contract of course but it was amazing! Just very sweet people who know their way around a bar! Plus, we picked two signature drinks that were just flying off the top shelf. Michael will guide you on what type of alcohol you will need and how much, but make sure you know your crowd. I unfortunately underestimated how many heavy drinkers we had and we ran out of certain alcohols midway through the evening. The good news is that Michael made it work with what we had left and our guests were still happy! BTW, may I cast my vote for his Orange Blossom cocktail if you are looking for suggestions on a specialty cocktail to serve at your event ;) Thank you so much Raise Your Spirits!"- Kalene L. (August 2015)

The Cocktail Rediscovered

Are you ready to take the 'bar' exam? This is the only tool you will need to raise the 'bar' for mixing drinks. Whether you are a novice bartender, who likes to play bartender at parties, or a professional bartender trying to perfect his/her craft in mixology, Learn More